Migration to Defense Health Agency to modernize Army medicine, surgeon general says

May 2, 2018

To help modernize the DoD’s medical community, the Army’s surgeon general, along with the other services, have been taking the necessary steps to migrate certain authorities and control from the military departments to the Defense Health Agency.

In accordance with the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, the changes to the military departments aim to eliminate duplicative health services functions and maximize efficiencies in the activities carried out by the Defense Health Agency.

“Army Medicine has the opportunity to make significant improvements in healthcare as we implement the 2017 NDAA changes, which will influence how we sustain readiness,” said Lt. Gen. Nadja Y. West, the Army Surgeon General, and commanding general of the U.S. Army Medical Command, during testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee recently.